Colocasia plant named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Colocasia  plant named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ that is characterized by a combination of a large yellow-green colored leaves with light purple veins, a matte finish, undulating purple leaf margins, burgundy colored petioles and a small to medium sized compact plant. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ from all other varieties of  Colocasia  known to the inventor.

Genus: Colocasia.

Species: esculenta.

Denomination: ‘Pineapple Princess’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia commonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown as a food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’. ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ is one of five applications by the inventor relating to new cultivars of Colocasia. The other four applications are titled Colocasia plant named ‘Hawaiian Eye’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,884), Colocasia plant named ‘Blue Hawaii’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,003), Colocasia plant named ‘Diamond Head’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,939) and Colocasia plant named ‘Hilo Bay’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,108).

Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropical Asia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5–2 m in height from starchy tubers. The leaves of Colocasia are heart-shaped and very large in size. The tuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropical areas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmer climates or as a container plant in colder areas.

The new Colocasia variety named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ is the product of a formal breeding program carried out in a cultivated area in Kula, Hi. The purpose of the breeding program is to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.

‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ is a seedling selection from the controlled pollination between the female parent variety ‘2001-52’ (unpatented) and male parent breeding line ‘2002-41’ (unpatented). Initially designated as ‘2004-39’, ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ was derived as a single plant selected in 2004.

The new variety ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ has large yellow-green colored leaves with purple veins on the upper and lower leaf surface, a matte finish, and undulating purple leaf margins. ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ produces burgundy colored petioles. The leaves are ⅓ to ½ times larger than its male parent and 2 to 3 times larger than its female parent. The male parent, ‘2002-41’, exhibits greenish-purple colored leaves with a matte finish, a smooth margin, and light purple venation. The petioles are dark purple in color with a matte finish. The female parent, ‘2001-52’ exhibits smaller violet leaves with a purple spot on the upper leaf surface at the point of leaf and petiole attachment and a undulating margin. In these aspects, this new variety differs from its parents.

The closest comparison variety known to the inventor is ‘Ruffles’ (unpatented), its closest commercial variety. PINEAPPLE PRINCESS produces light yellow-green leaves with light purple veins and an undulating purple leaf margin compared to ‘Ruffles’ which exhibits a green leaf with an undulating leaf margin. PINEAPPLE PRINCESS produces a uniform burgundy colored petioles compared with ‘Ruffles’ that exhibit green petioles. PINEAPPLE PRINCESS produces a uniform compact plant compared with the tall ‘Ruffles’ plant.

The most commonly employed means of asexual propagation of the genus Colocasia is the excision and replanting of a shoot which consists of the apical 1 cm–2 cm portion of the plant corm with the attached basal 15 cm–20 cm portion of the petiole. In regions of the world where Colocasia is grown, this plant shoot is known as a “huli”, and the means of propagation is known as “huli propagation”. Asexual propagation of hulis of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ began in 2004 in Hawaii by the inventor using huli propagation whereby the apical shoots are separated from the plant by cutting the shoot at the top of the corm immediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. Evaluation in field and pot studies have shown the unique features of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ to be stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the distinguishing characteristics of the new Colocasia variety named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’. In combination these traits set ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ apart from all other varieties of Colocasia known to the inventor. ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype:

-   -   1. ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ exhibits large saggitate-shaped leaves         with purple veins and undulating purple margins.     -   2. The leaves of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ are yellow-green in color.     -   3. The surface of the leaves of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ is a matte         finish.     -   4. ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ has burgundy colored petioles.     -   5. ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ produces a small to medium sized compact         plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color drawings FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate the overall appearance of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the drawing may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actual colors of the new variety ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 1 shows ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ grown from a huli after approximately 5 months.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 2 shows the burgundy colored petioles of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’.

The drawing labeled FIG. 3 illustrates a sagittate ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ mature leaf blade. Lamina is yellow-green with purple veins and purple undulating margins on the adaxial surface.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 4 shows the underside of a mature leaf of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ with the light purple lamina and purple venation.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 5 shows the sheath or spathe that normally encloses the spadix of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 6 shows the inflorescence or spadix of ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’.

All drawings have been made from plants which were approximately 5 months old from a division and which have been grown out-of-doors. No growth regulators have been applied.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new Colocasia plant named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’. Data was collected from plants that were 3–6 months of age grown outside in Kula, Hi. as indicated. The color determinations are in accordance with the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The growing requirements are similar to other Colocasia.

-   Botanical classification: -   Genus: Colocasia -   Species: esculenta -   Denomination: ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ -   Common name: Taro or elephant ears. -   Plant use: Food, container or landscape plant. -   Cultural requirements: Cultural requirements are well draining soil     or growing media, full sun to partial shade. -   Root system: Fibrous. -   Plant vigor: Vigorous. -   Plant growth rate: Rapid. Once rooted, plants become saleable in     1-gallon containers in 6 weeks. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘2001-52’.         -   Male parent.—‘2002-41’. -   Plant description: The plant has 5 to 9 suckers closely attached to     the mother plant. A “mother plant” is the plant material which is     first introduced into the soil to begin production. Typically, this     plant material contains part of the huli and 2–3 leaf blades. This     produces a “mother corm” which produces lateral shoots called     ‘cormels’ which give rise to daughter plants. Daughter plants begin     to appear above soil level about 2–3 months after planting of the     mother plant. -   Plant dimensions: 55 cm to 80 cm in height and 100 cm to 120 cm in     width. -   Plant hardiness: USDA Zone 7 -   Propagation: Propagation is accomplished by huli propagation and by     tissue culture. -   Huli propagation: Root formation occurs immediately after     transplanting. Propagation is complete when fully rooted. Daughter     plants appear above soil level around 2–3 months after huli     planting. -   Tissue culture: Time to develop a new plant capable of growing on     its own roots: 3 weeks. -   Crop time: (from propagation to a saleable 1 gallon container):     6–10-weeks at temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit–65 Fahrenheit. -   Pest or disease susceptibility and resistance: No more or less     susceptible to disease or pests than other cultivars. -   Tuberous roots:     -   -   Dimensions.—5.0 inches in length, 2.75 inches in diameter.             Color: 69B. -   Foliage:     -   -   Number.—On average, a 5–6 month old mother plant maintains             5–6 functional leaves at a time, each new leaf is produced             approximately every 10 days until the corm matures.         -   Petioles.—Length: Up to 82 cm in length. Width: 10 mm (just             below attachment to lamina)×18 mm (upper sinus)×30 mm (at             the middle of the sinus). Color: Mature leaf has a petiole             color of N186C and younger leaves have petiole color of             N77A. Sap color: red.         -   Leaf.—Dimensions at maturity (5–6 months old): 546 mm in             length and 138 mm in width. Aspect: Erect with apex down.             Shape: Sagittate lamina. Margins: Entire, undulating N186B.             Apex: Pointed. Base: Peltate. Lamina appendages: Absent.             Attachment: Petiolate with characteristic tissue formed at             junction of leaf blade with the upper termination of the             petiole. This area of the leaf tissue is also known as the             “piko” and is evident by virtue of its upper surface being             the same color as the veins or darker. The principal veins             radiate from the piko. Piko color: N187A. Leaf sheaf: Open.             Texture: Matte.         -   Leaf color (adaxial surface).—Younger leaf color 147A and             older leaf 147B.         -   Leaf color (abaxial surface).—N77A.         -   Venation.—Palmate.         -   Veins.—Three principal veins radiating from the piko. The             largest a midrib extending from the piko to the tip of the             lamina with up to 11 pairs of secondary veins radiating from             it.         -   Vein color (adaxial surface).—Younger leaf veins are 186C;             mature leaf veins are 186B; older leaf veins are N186A.         -   Vein color (abaxial surface).—N186C. -   Flowers and reproductive organs: The inflorescence arises from the     leaf axils. The inflorescence is made up of a short peduncle, a     spadix, and spathe. The spadix is botanically a spike, with a fleshy     central axis to which the small sessile flowers are attached. The     spadix is 265 mm to 305 mm long, with female flowers at the base,     male flowers towards the tip, and sterile flowers in between, in the     region compressed by the neck of the spathe. The extreme tip or     appendage of the spadix has no flowers at all. The spathe is a large     yellowish bract, 260 mm to 280 mm long, which sheathes the spadix.     The lower part of the spathe is green (N186C) in color and wraps     tightly around the spadix and completely occludes the female flowers     from view. The top portion of the spadix is yellow (14D) in color     and is rolled inward at the apex, but is open on one side to reveal     the male flowers on the spadix. The top and bottom portions of the     spadix are separated by a narrow neck region, corresponding to the     region of the sterile flowers on the spadix. -   Seed: Seed is not produced naturally since male and female flowers     within each inflorescence do not mature at the same time.     Pollination can be achieved manually or, in nature, only with the     presence of small insect pollinators which are found in regions of     genetic origin of the species, and not in Hawaii. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Colocasia plant named ‘PINEAPPLE PRINCESS’ as described and illustrated herein. 